Zara Larsson's Lollapalooza Day: A Decade of Growth, a Crawfish-Inspired Look, and a Lucky Schedule Change

Returning to Chicago After a Decade

The day starts in a hotel room with a room-service breakfast. A pastry reminds Larsson of petit pain, which Larsson describes as "the fancy version of it" without being sure of the English word. Then the conversation turns to the reason for the trip: Lollapalooza, which Larsson says was also played "about 10 years ago." Later in the same passage Larsson names 2017 as the year of that earlier appearance.

Larsson frames the comparison as growing up. "I was a teenager and I'm a woman," Larsson says, and describes several changes: a better voice, more fun on stage, and closer involvement in the artistry, the songwriting, and the making of the show. Larsson thinks audiences can "really, really tell" the difference and hopes anyone who saw the earlier set is in the crowd tonight to see what Larsson calls a "quite huge" change.

Larsson also shows off a new accessory, a small figure that doesn't have a name yet. Larsson says it was "based on someone's grandma," thought it looked cool, and feels it "just like reminds me of me."

Warming Up on a Tired Voice

Larsson admits the voice feels "a little bit tired today," then does a warm-up in the hotel room using the line "a never-ending midnight sun." It gets loud enough that Larsson ends up sweating. Larsson jokes that the warm-up isn't really the first time the song gets sung tonight and adds, "We'll see how it goes."

Before leaving for the grounds, Larsson calls this one of the biggest shows of the summer and one Larsson has been looking forward to. Larsson admits to always feeling a little nervous and hoping the show lives up to expectations, then answers the worry right away: "It will. It will."

Glam Inspired by a Crawfish

Backstage, after a buggy ride past where the car had just been, Larsson sits down for hair and makeup. The inspiration for the look is a crawfish that was purple with orange details. Larsson isn't sure how the makeup artist found the image and guesses it might have come from a Pinterest board.

Larsson says the team doesn't overthink glam. They "live in the moment," and Larsson "just sit[s] in the chair." Their routine has a few specific choices:

Skincare stays light, because Larsson describes having "a little bit of an oily skin" in certain areas.
They put on "a good layer of powder," or as they put it, "hella powder."
They skip setting spray and primer. The makeup artist says people react with surprise when they hear there's no setting spray.

Larsson says the team has never started from an era-based concept like "Let's do Y2K." That applies to the stylists and everyone who helps "create my world." Any throwback feeling just happens, often through things Larsson may not have been inspired by growing up. The main principle is simpler: choose things Larsson really likes, which "is usually sparkly and glittery and fun."

What a Stage Outfit Has to Do

Larsson gives practical requirements for performance clothes. They have to be comfortable to dance in with "no restrictions": Larsson wants to lift both arms all the way up, do a split, and feel free to move. Larsson also doesn't want to overheat, so outfits are kept "as naked as possible and as colorful as possible."

The colors serve a purpose. A festival stage has different levels, lots of color, and many people. Larsson still wants to stand out, and says the way to do that is with shiny, sparkly materials or strong, vivid colors.

On Backing Tracks and Pitch Correction

Larsson says they "personally don't like to have too much backing track." A live performance is "not always like perfect, perfect, perfect," and Larsson doesn't mind that it isn't flawless. Larsson calls pitch correction on the microphone "really, really common these days" and admits to using it sometimes. But Larsson also feels that sometimes "it takes away the soul." Larsson doesn't take a firm position either way and simply describes both habits.

Larsson then compares two pairs of shorts for the night. One pair fits better and the other is more sparkly, so Larsson decides to try them on before choosing.

The Weather Delay That Turned Into a Better Slot

The schedule changes partway through the day. Larsson explains that the team was walking toward the stage when someone stopped them and asked whether Larsson wanted to go on later. It had been raining. Lil Uzi Vert was scheduled right after Larsson but couldn't make that set time because of weather delays, so the organizers offered Larsson the slot. "Yes, I do. Thank you very much," Larsson recalls answering.

Larsson says it "literally could not have been better." The extra time means more "love and energy" can go into hair and makeup and there's no need to stress. Larsson jokes about doing another vocal warm-up and then a nap.

Breaking Down the Final Look

Larsson walks through the outfit:

A striped polo crop shirt (the brand in the transcript sounds like "Euroko"), described as part of a "girls trip" theme.
Shorts with a small flower added.
"Girls trip midnight sun" boots.
Underwear that Larsson calls "my puss puss underwear."
Motor gloves, which come from the girls-trip theme and suggest "going on my motorbike, going in my truck."

Larsson calls the look a bit different from the original Midnight Sun aesthetic but still "in the same world," like "a sister" of what Larsson usually wears on tour. Larsson sees the gloves as a throwback, "almost giving like Hannah Montana in the best way," and says they add "an element of pop star" to the outfit.

Other Looks From the Tour

Larsson also shows several earlier tour outfits:

Lollapalooza Berlin: one of Larsson's favorites so far, chosen for a color that "pops so beautifully on stage and in the light." Larsson credits the designer (the name sounds like "Barack" in the transcript) and says it came with a matching top and was also made in pink.
Norway, the first show of the year: it was cold, so Larsson wore a jacket from Fancy Club. The team reworked it by removing some straps and adding flowers.
Capris from Agro Studio: the team "blinged them out." Larsson stresses that they're stretchy, which matters for dancing, and says of capris, "I just love the capri. I do. Sue me." Larsson adds that the stylist is the one who does the bedazzling.

Reading the Comments

Larsson says that looking through comments sometimes brings a reaction of "Oh my god, that's me," because people use Larsson's image or clips for so many things. One question Larsson remembers from the comments asked for top three pop albums, which Larsson found hard to answer. Larsson's picks: B'Day, Back to Basics, and Midnight Sun.

"Not a One-Woman Show"

As the team heads down to the stage, Larsson talks about how much work happens behind the scenes, at festivals and at Larsson's own shows. Larsson says, "I just kind of show up and the stage is there, the set is there, the mic is on, the lights work." Larsson says they enjoy traveling and building the show with the crew and insists that "there really wouldn't be any show without all the people backstage." Larsson's summary: "It's definitely not like a one-woman show."

Larsson opens the set by inviting the crowd to "the midnight sun." At the end of the performance Larsson thanks the audience, calls the night "a memory for a life," and says, "Thank you, Chicago."